Cuba is currently selling more than 150 healthcare programs in the international market through ServiMed (Servicios Médicos Cubanos, S.A.) and the group BioCubaFarma according to an announcement made by Dr. Sandra Cutiño at the International Fair in Havana (FIHAV 2013).
Dr. Cutiño, who acts as ServiMed’s Director of Patient Care, stated that Cuba currently supplies healthcare services to more than 100 countries and mentioned oncological, spinal cord, hip and knee surgery among the bestsellers. She also cited “treatments for ophthalmological conditions, programs for quality of life improvement, dialysis, neurological recovery and rehabilitation among others," in Opciones, a Cuban weekly business website.
Dr. Cutiño’s references to the marketing of such state-of-the-art healthcare programs have not been published in the Cuban media. The medical services offered to the businessmen who attended the Fair are in sharp contrast to the poor quality healthcare available in Cuba’s Health Centers, particularly with respect to poor hygiene conditions and lack of medications.
The Cuban government blames the U.S. Embargo for the lack, in Cuban hospitals, not only of adequate medications, but also of chemical reagents and medical equipment.
However, Dr. Cutiño highlighted some of the medical services marketed by Cuba which included disease control by means of prophylactic vaccines as well as the diagnosis and evaluation of several diseases (such as cardiac and neurological) utilizing advanced medical equipments.
By contrast, the report presented by Cuba before the UN last October points out that “Servicios Médicos Cubanos. S.A. cannot reach its full potential of offering different types of marketing regarding healthcare services. It was estimated that between May 2012 and April 2013 it would have been possible to collect about $9,600,000.00 which it did not, due to its limitations."
The truth is that for several years, Cuba has been able to buy food directly from the United States, as well as medications and medical equipment. In 1999, President Bill Clinton signed into law a resolution which had been approved by the US Congress, allowing the sale of food, agricultural products and medicines to Cuba. The conditions established by the law are that Cuba must buy in cash, in advance and through third-country banking institutions.
During an assembly which took place in the ExpoCuba exhibition centre, Dr. Julio Castañer, business director of ServiMed, stated that more than 60 countries currently are receiving highly specialized medical services in the areas of oncology, plastic surgery, epidemiology, orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery, rehabilitation, ophthalmology, dermatology and pediatrics, among others.
Countries such as Serbia, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and others have an ever-growing demand for said Cuban medical services.
Angola, Namibia, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Ecuador, South Africa and Ghana, on the other hand, request scholarly and research services, he added.
Dr. Castañer explained that ServiMed encompasses four commercial business lines: professional and technical healthcare services available to foreign countries; medical attention to foreigners in Cuba; scholarly and research services inside and outside the country and healthcare services to domestic entities that operate in foreign currency; and foreign organizations that reside in Cuba.
Dr. Cutiño, who acts as ServiMed’s Director of Patient Care, stated that Cuba currently supplies healthcare services to more than 100 countries and mentioned oncological, spinal cord, hip and knee surgery among the bestsellers. She also cited “treatments for ophthalmological conditions, programs for quality of life improvement, dialysis, neurological recovery and rehabilitation among others," in Opciones, a Cuban weekly business website.
Dr. Cutiño’s references to the marketing of such state-of-the-art healthcare programs have not been published in the Cuban media. The medical services offered to the businessmen who attended the Fair are in sharp contrast to the poor quality healthcare available in Cuba’s Health Centers, particularly with respect to poor hygiene conditions and lack of medications.
The Cuban government blames the U.S. Embargo for the lack, in Cuban hospitals, not only of adequate medications, but also of chemical reagents and medical equipment.
However, Dr. Cutiño highlighted some of the medical services marketed by Cuba which included disease control by means of prophylactic vaccines as well as the diagnosis and evaluation of several diseases (such as cardiac and neurological) utilizing advanced medical equipments.
By contrast, the report presented by Cuba before the UN last October points out that “Servicios Médicos Cubanos. S.A. cannot reach its full potential of offering different types of marketing regarding healthcare services. It was estimated that between May 2012 and April 2013 it would have been possible to collect about $9,600,000.00 which it did not, due to its limitations."
The truth is that for several years, Cuba has been able to buy food directly from the United States, as well as medications and medical equipment. In 1999, President Bill Clinton signed into law a resolution which had been approved by the US Congress, allowing the sale of food, agricultural products and medicines to Cuba. The conditions established by the law are that Cuba must buy in cash, in advance and through third-country banking institutions.
During an assembly which took place in the ExpoCuba exhibition centre, Dr. Julio Castañer, business director of ServiMed, stated that more than 60 countries currently are receiving highly specialized medical services in the areas of oncology, plastic surgery, epidemiology, orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery, rehabilitation, ophthalmology, dermatology and pediatrics, among others.
Countries such as Serbia, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and others have an ever-growing demand for said Cuban medical services.
Angola, Namibia, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Ecuador, South Africa and Ghana, on the other hand, request scholarly and research services, he added.
Dr. Castañer explained that ServiMed encompasses four commercial business lines: professional and technical healthcare services available to foreign countries; medical attention to foreigners in Cuba; scholarly and research services inside and outside the country and healthcare services to domestic entities that operate in foreign currency; and foreign organizations that reside in Cuba.
